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Assessment in social work: a guide for learning and teaching

The nature of assessment: The different timeframes of assessment

Timeframes, that is, duration
of focus, on assessment may vary with the service,
setting or nature of the problem or issue. Timeframes
may also vary according to factors already described,
including the definition and purpose of assessment
and the underpinning theory that informs it.

In some instances assessment begins
at first contact, sometimes in response to a crisis,
and is relatively short. Assessment may precede intervention
or represent a service in its own right, for instance,
for a court or where the social work role is solely
to assess for separately commissioned services. In
other cases, there may be several assessment-focused
contacts with service users and carers over an extended
period (Crisp et al, 2003). The ongoing
approach acknowledges that the needs of clients change
over time, especially following critical events (Crisp et
al, 2005, p 47). The Salford CSWR study found
both time-limited, briefer models and longer-term
assessment models (Shardlow et al, 2005,
p 47).

An analysis of the textbook summaries
provided by Crisp and colleagues (2005) suggests
that there are four chief types of assessment timescale:

ongoing

a recognisable, time-limited
stage or point in the history of a ‘case’

a combination of recognisable
stage and ongoing

variable between ongoing and
recognisable stage depending on the situation.

There is a fifth position in the
textbook summaries that sees assessment as inseparable
from intervention and service delivery (Crisp et
al, 2005, pp 157–8).

Some authors clearly advocate
one or other of the four types outlined above, some
describe what they have observed, while others advocate
one model, typically the ongoing kind, but comment
that it is often not achieved because of a range
of constraints (Crisp et al, 2005, pp 90,
153).

Three of the four assessment frameworks
were found to view assessment as an ongoing process
rather than taking place at a fixed point in time
(Crisp et al, 2005,
p 47). However, particular timeframes may be differentiated
within the overall process. Hence one of the three,
the children’s framework, distinguishes ‘initial
assessment’ – 7 days – and ‘core
assessment’ – which must be completed
within a maximum of 35 working days (Department of
Health, Department for Education and Employment and
the Home Office, 2000, para 3.11). The document also
refers to ‘specialist’ commissioned assessment.

It should be noted that timeframes
and targets for assessment set by government and
agencies vary over time and between service user
groups and are subject to review. This variation
means that practitioners need to know the prevailing
requirements of their agency. There may be tensions
between some agency target times and some professional
timeframes or between either of these and the staff
time available.

Questions for educators

What types
of assessment timeframes are taught and are
there opportunities for applying or evaluating
the main types?

Are students alert to
the possible variation in assessment timeframes
as set by government, agency or professional
criteria and of possible tensions between them?